Children learn, play at Storybook Trail

The Parents As Teachers organization joined the Hannibal Parks & Recreation Department to provide a Storybook Trail for preschoolers Friday morning, Sept. 13, in Central Park.

Bev Darrbev.darr@courierpost.com

The Parents As Teachers organization joined the Hannibal Parks & Recreation Department to provide a Storybook Trail for preschoolers Friday morning, Sept. 13, in Central Park.Parents took their children along a line of pages from the book, “Autumn’s First Leaf,” about leaves changing colors in fall.Some youngsters stopped to pick up colorful leaves that had already fallen from the trees in the park.The free Storybook Trail is continuing in the park.For the one-day event on Sept. 13, additional games were provided for the children by the Parents As Teachers group led by Diane Addison. Among the most popular was walking around a big plastic “wheel” as they sang “Ring Around the Rosie” and played other games.At times they went under the “tent,” such as all who were wearing pink clothing. The youngsters ranged in age from several months to several years, and all were accompanied by a parent or family member.A game involving a paper plate paddle hitting a ball was enjoyed by Matthew Wisdom and Morgan Whitaker.Bella Treaster, Mary Woychuk, Maggie Hicks, Clayton Janes, Ashtin Gillum, and Donavan and Delaina Meyer were among the Hannibal children doing the Storybook Trail and playing the games.The group included some visitors, Sofia and Maya Mazur from Houston, who were visiting local relatives.Later the children were using big pieces of colored chalk to draw pictures on the sidewalks. And before departing for home they received gifts from the sponsors.Addison noted that a popular Parents As Teachers event is coming up on Saturday, Sept. 21. This is big truck and safety night at the Hannibal Middle School. It will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. “We have 21 big trucks coming,” she said.For more pictures, see photo gallery.